promising young woman – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

HORROR’S WARNING ABOUT IGNORING WOMEN – Essay by Stephanie Malone

April 11, 2025April 17, 2025 Guest Post CARRIE, guest post, hereditary, horror, promising young woman, rosemary;s baby, Stephanie Malone, the babadook, the female gaze, the lodge

A chillingly common thread in many iconic horror movies is the refusal to believe women when they voice their fears, their suspicions, or their trauma. This narrative mirrors a grim reality rooted in history: women have long struggled to have their experiences, especially those regarding mental health and abuse, taken seriously. The implications go beyond mere storytelling. Statistics from organizations like the National Network to End Domestic Violence reveal that over 70% of domestic violence cases are never reported, often because survivors fear that they will not be believed or that they will face retribution. Let’s dive into some unforgettable horror films where disbelief in a woman’s voice escalates the terror.

Reviews

YOUR MONSTER – Review by MaryAnn Johanson

October 23, 2024October 27, 2024 MaryAnn Johanson birds of prey, Caroline Lindy, Melissa Barrera, promising young woman, Your Monster

Oh, the humor here is bitter, and the horror comes at you from unexpected angles, for sure. And the overriding genre is perhaps “anti-romance.” But Your Monster is actually kinda sweet… and the only thing that makes it anti-romance is that it’s about its female protagonist learning to love and respect herself, to put her own needs first.

News

WEEK IN WOMEN: Women achieve historic wins at 2021 Academy Awards – Brandy McDonnell reports

April 26, 2021May 1, 2021 Brandy McDonnell 2021 academy awards, chloe zhao, emerald fennell, frances mcdrmand, nomadland, oscars, promising young woman

At the 2021 Academy Awards ceremonies, women earned a record 17 trophies, the most in Oscar history. Considering the ceremony awarded 30 male winners, that means women received 36% of the statuettes awarded in the 23 competitive categories. Compare that to 2020, when a third of the 39 winners were women, and 2019, when 15 of the 54 winners were women, which is 27.8%.

News

WEEK IN WOMEN: Fennell and Zhao make AMPAS history – Brandy McDonnell reports

March 19, 2021September 1, 2021 Brandy McDonnell ampas, chloe zhao, emerald fennell, nomadland, oscars, promising young woman

Nomadland‘s Chloe Zhao and Promising Young Woman‘s Emerald Fennell are now part of Academy Awards history. For the first time, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has nominated two women in the directing category, with Zhao and Fennell picking up nods in the coveted category.

SPOTLIGHT

SPOTLIGHT February 2021: Carey Mulligan, Actress and Character Champion

January 31, 2021February 2, 2021 Valerie Kalfrin actors speaking out, Carey Mulligan, gender parity, promising young woman, spotlight

Carey Mulligan consistently and deliberately plays women who defy expectations. She likes the unpredictable story, pushing back against characters who look, move, or speak the way that female characters often have. Now after challenging herself as an artist and audiences, she’s asked critics to raise the bar as well, going beyond physicality when examining a film and what makes it work. As creatives strive to see the full spectrum of women represented onscreen, being honest yet constructive in our assessments – just as Mulligan is honest in her performances – is vital to moving forward.

Commentaries Reviews

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN: Susan Jacob’s Female Power Soundtrack – Rachel West comments

December 30, 2020January 2, 2021 Rachel West Britney Spears, Carey Mulligan, Charli XCX, emerald fennell, Juice Newton, promising young woman, Susan Jacobs, Weather Girls

Emerald Fennell’s bold Promising Young Woman isn’t just a triumph for star Carey Mulligan, it’s a soundtrack showcase for female-driven power-pop. Spanning the gamut of Mulligan’s Cassie’s emotions, the Promising Young Woman soundtrack is equal parts dark, edgy female rage and catchy, lighthearted pop. Throughout the film, music supervisor Susan Jacobs allows Cassie’s state of mind to manifest in the music from the movie’s first few minutes until its ultimate conclusion.

Reviews

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN – Review by Martha K Baker

December 29, 2020December 30, 2020 Martha K. Baker (Archived Contributor) Carey Mulligan, emerald fennell, motw, Movie of the Week, promising young woman

Cassandra Thompson, the titular character, was friends with a similar promising woman. After something wicked happened, Cassandra left the world

Reviews

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN – Review by Susan Granger

December 29, 2020December 30, 2020 Susan Granger Carey Mulligan, emerald fennell, motw, Movie of the Week, promising young woman

Do you remember – back in 2016 – when Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner was convicted of sexually assaulting an

Movie of the Week Reviews

MOVIE OF THE WEEK January 1, 2021: PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN

December 26, 2020February 14, 2021 Jennifer Merin betsy bozdech, Carey Mulligan, Cate Marquis, emerald fennell, jennifer merin, kathia woods, leslie combemale, liz whittemore, loren king, marina antunes, maryann johanson, motw, Movie of the Week, nell minow, Pam Grady, promising young woman, sandie angulo chen, susan wloszczyna

Smart, bold, and refreshingly original, Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman marks the feature directorial debut of a major filmmaking talent. Fennell’s confident, fearless direction and script — along with a confident, outstanding performance by star Carey Mulligan — give this darkly comic and deeply satisfying thriller an impact that you won’t soon forget.

Reviews

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN – Review by Loren King

December 23, 2020December 26, 2020 Loren King Carey Mulligan, emerald fennell, motw, Movie of the Week, promising young woman

Promising Young Woman means to push buttons and provoke reactions. It’s a scorching indictment wrapped in a sophisticated revenge fantasy. Writer/director Emerald Fennell manages a pitch black comedy that’s visually and tonally arresting, with a flamethrower of a script.

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